The Wilmingtonian., 1887-04-30
PRICE TWO CENTS.
Economical and Nutritious Diet.

No scionce is more generally interesting
than that which explains the CON mon phen.
omean of life, and none interests the ph. ST.
clan more. From long experience and
believe that great number Of the diseases
which afilicts the human race, and particu-
larly among the poor, are the effects of i'm
prudence and neglect of the laws of diet and
hygiene, and based upon this experience, the
doctor has so frequently asked, ''What shall
they eat? ?" No more important or perplex-
ing question has been presented to the mind
Of the busy and conscientious physician. in
his round Of professional work among the
poor many of whom, are entirely ignorant
upon the subject of hygiene and the laws Of
dietetics. 1t never once enters their mind
that some care in regard to what they eat,
and how they expose themselves, might save
them spell Of sickness. But, when sick, all
that is to take drugs, completely Ignoring
and consequently neglecting all principles of
diet. Among this class the doctor will have
but little success If he fails to look after that
diet, carefully examining the quality, quaut-
way and manner it is cooked. and the most
important Of all is the adaptability to their
physiological requirements, where the most
nutrition can be gotten out of tue cheapest
and most readily procured article Of food.
The one great principle in this case, is the
lack of money to procure many things that
might be eaten. SO it falls to the lot of the
practitioner to point out to his patients that
this great error and misfortune arises large
| ly, from their entire ignorance Of the rela-
tive dietetc value of the various articles in
daily use. The value OF meat is well appre-
ciated by them, but often it is beyond their
means, and the substitutes used in its place
are too frequently i'll suited to the mainten-
ance OF nutrition. Milk and eggs are not
commonly understood by the poorer classes,
and in large towns they are difficult to OBJ
tain of good quality and always pure. .Vcge-
tables, although much in use among them
on the score of economy, cannot be correct
ly estimated detetically by them, aud no
distinction is made between those that are
| i,,, a
tables as peas and beans, which from their
richness in nitrogen are well calculated to
supply the place of an animal food. 0at
meal, in the form of cake or mush, is
most excellent and economical article Of.
Fish is another article of diet that is very
popular. While it is far inferior In nutri-
tious properties to leguminous vegetables or
oat meal, it is light, agreeable and appetiz-
ing form of food, of fair dietetic value, and
here in our city can be gotten fresh and reas-
enable. Few articles are more frequently
chosen Among those of daily use an tea
No medical man need be told that tea is a
nerve stmulaut, and that it conttins no nu =
tritlous element to the tissues, but on the
contrary, it gives stimulation producing a
false source Of comfort vanishing appetite,
and relieving weariness, so il is not surpris
ing that ignorant persons should give 1t
high place in their daily food. In all our
large towns, there are thousands, especially
among our working girls, who drink tea
three OF four times daily, and take but little
crackers and cake, supplied by bakers. For
a time they enjoy satisfaction. thinking
that the demands for food have been met,
but sooner or later their strength begins to
fail. Dyspepsia sets In; severe constipation;
functional arrangement of the heart is ex.
cited; and they present themselves at the
dispensaries and hospitals in an advanced
stage of exhaustion, threatening phthisis,
neuralgia, and In short literal starvation.
Nothing but good food, rich in nitrogenous
matter, rest iOr tne OYerWOfKeu ana under
fed organs, will benefit these cases. For
tunatcly the best food is not always the
dearest. 1t is not necessary to feed them
sweet breads, wines, &C., when eggs, beans,
peas, oat meal and milk will will serve them
equally well, being nicely cooked and made
palatable-iS all that they need-ia fact il
in all that anyone needs.
or the three infused beverages, coffee, tea
aud cocoa, the richest IN nutrition, and the
most easily sssimilated, with the foregoing
plan of diet, is cocoa. The results obtained
from artificial digestion show that the pro
. cess of digestion, as whole, with the exclu
: sion of meat, especially beef, is carried OF
better under the influence of cocoa wheI
free from the heavy oils, thoroughly sweet
D ended and well diluted with milk, than
either coffee or tea.
, And when, at some future time, the pro
gress CT the science of dietetcs shall hay
= simplifed the art of healing, the preventiy
D part of it " III probably he considered as tn
s more important, and in consequence h,
y number Of maadics greatly diminished.
The Interstate Law on Il Il o.